RELG 132 New Testament Survey
The life and teachings of Jesus, the message of Paul, first-century Judaism and Greco-Roman culture, and development of the early Christian Church explored by using modern historical methods.

RELG 200 Introduction to the Christian Faith
Historical and contemporary expressions of Christian belief and practice, with special reference to biblical sources.

RELG 201 Religious Individuals Who Changed History
The lives, times, and influences of religious people who have become agents of social change. Attention to changes in culture, economics, and value systems.

RELG 205X The Gospels (Greek 205)

RELG 211 Judaism and Islam
Beliefs, scriptures, understanding of life, and historical development of Judaism and Islam; relationships of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The impact of Judaism and Islam on the world today.

RELG 212 Asian Religions
Beliefs, scriptures, understandings of life, and historical development of Hinduism and Buddhism; Confucianism and Daoism in China; Zen, Shinto, and new religions of Japan.

RELG 221 Church and World
Exploration of the central issue of Christian social ethics: the appropriate relationship between the Church/individual Christians and the surrounding culture, between “Church” and “world.” Biblical, historical, and contemporary sources. Prerequisites: for religion majors and minors: 131 and 132; for other students: 131 or 132.

RELG 256 Biblical Archaeology
Introduction to methodology and discoveries of Near Eastern archaeology. Sites including Jerusalem, Masada, Qumran, Samaria. Recommended as background for participation in an expedition. Prerequisite: 131.

RELG 301X Letters of Paul (Greek 301)

RELG 306 Practicum in Biblical Archaeology
Participation in archaeological expedition in the Near East. Possible second course credit from another department. Prerequisite: 256.

RELG 312 Protestantism to the Nineteenth Century
Reformation under Luther, Calvin, Anabaptist and Anglican leaders; pietist reaction to Protestant creedalism; philosophical and scientific challenges of Christianity and rise of 19th-century liberalism. Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Schleiermacher, Harnack. Prerequisite: 311 or permission of instructor.

RELG 313 Twentieth-Century Christianity
Contributions of historic events and theologians to contemporary thinking. Barth, Bultmann, Niebuhr, Moltmann, Protestant ecumenism, and Vatican II. Prerequisite: 312 or permission of instructor.

RELG 330 Myth and Ritual, Fantasy and Folktale
Exploration of mythical worlds created by spoken and enacted human imagination. Modern religious, psychological, literary, and anthropological methods of study and ancient classical and/or Near Eastern literature. Prerequisites: 131; Great Books or basic literature course.

RELG 331 Advanced Old Testament Studies
Concentrated, critical study of a theme or block of literature from the Old Testament, such as prophets or wisdom tradition. Instructor may permit student to take two different themes under this course heading. Prerequisite: 131.

RELG 332 Advanced New Testament Studies
Concentrated, critical study of a theme or block of literature from the New Testament, such as the “quest of the historical Jesus.” Instructor may permit student to take two different themes under this course heading. Prerequisite: 132.

RELG 333 Paul
Exploration of Paul’s life, writings, and influence on the Christian Church. Prerequisite: 132 or permission of the instructor.

RELG 335X Philosophy of Religion (Philosophy 335)

RELG 341 Ministry with Children
Exploration of various aspects of the church’s ministry with children to age twelve. Inclusion of significant field work through a congregational service learning component. Prerequisite: 131 or 132.

RELG 342 Ministry with Youth
Exploration of various aspects of the church’s ministry with adolescents. Inclusion of significant field work through a congregational service learning component. Prerequisite: 131 or 132.

RELG 343 Church and Community Ministries
Exploration of the challenge, promise, and problems of church ministries in the community, including action for social justice, work with the poor, and other forms of outreach. Participation in church and community ministry through a service learning component. Prerequisite: 131 or 132.

RELG 345 Psychological Development and Religious Faith
Relationship of cognitive, moral, and emotional developmental processes to the formation of religious faith from childhood through older adulthood. Special emphasis on James Fowler’s faith development theory, including psychological and theological sources, critiques, and alternative approaches. Prerequisite: junior status or permission of instructor.

RELG 350 Seminar
Comprehensive understanding of selected topics through intensive study, discussion, and participation in other learning activities. Prerequisites: 131 and 132, or permission of instructor.

RELG 351 Contemporary Literature and the Christian Faith
Analysis of the contribution of contemporary authors such as Albee, Beckett, Camus, Golding, and Kafka to an understanding of contemporary life and the proclamation of the Christian faith. Prerequisite: junior status or permission of instructor.

RELG 352 Jesus
Exploration of historical, literary, and artistic portrayals of Jesus through the centuries. Prerequisite: 132 or permission of the instructor.

RELG 355 History of Methodism
History and development of The United Methodist Church from beginnings of the Wesleyan movement to the present. Theological, cultural, and social contexts as well as institutional issues and the contemporary state of the church.

RELG 370 Women’s Roles in the Ancient World
Ancient roots of contemporary views of human identity; grounding in biblical and classical cultures of the patriarchal and egalitarian attitudes of modern society; evolution of male-dominance and sources of protest. Documents of fiction and non-fiction from Israel, Greece, Rome, and the early church.

RELG 412X Church Music (Music 412)

RELG 460 Independent Study
Advanced directed study in a specific area, under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: departmental permission. One to four semester hours.

RELG 470 and 471 Internship I and II
Work experience jointly supervised by the department and a professional in the field. Minimum 120 hours of field work along with on-campus assignments. Prerequisites: 2.0 GPA overall and in religion, junior or senior status, permission of department, and completion of 131-132 plus three religion courses. Pass-Fail only.